feeding alternative for dry cows

This is a great topic, and in my opinion offers the greatest potential for return in a given lactation.
I believe the best dry cow diet is the lo energy diet. This typically consists of corn silage and straw. The reason(s) I would offer is that this diet offers the best in terms of dietary consistency and control for the dry cows.
These forage feedstuffs are low in Ca and K, and so the nutritionist can control what level these nutrients are fed at. In diets where hay or haylage are fed, the mineral components can vary quite substantially.
How many of us has gone into a herd, tested the feedstuffs, balanced the diet and experienced good luck for a period of time. All of a sudden, the producer will experience milk fever or ketosis etc., for no apparent reason, while all that has happened is the producer entered a different section the hay/haylage supply.
Control of the diet with a low-energy approach ensures high intake and more consistent results.

Feeding the dairy cow in transition period (30 days prepartum) is a challenging and useful for postpartum period. Since the cow has to pass through various critical phases of labor pains during parturition, uterine involution, colostrum production for early nutrition of the calf, producing whole milk for the calf as well the owner, to come in heat (21 days) later parturition needs solid nutritional foundation in prepartum period. In our experiences, apart from the feed (concentrate as well fodder), cow needs extra energy to balance the energy pool. This energy pool can be bridged by supplementation of bypass fact @ 100 g/animal/day, yeast metabolites 55 g/animal/day. Second most important thing is to insure the animal with mineral supplementation for 24x7x365 days, this gives an extra edge for performance in terms of immunity, production, reproduction and as well economics.

The management in Dry Period of a dairy cow is very very important as in the next lactation
1. Length of lactation
2.Reproductive effeciency &
3.lactation persistency
depends upon feeding programme during this period.
This is the reason we hear many dairy farmers complaining that the current lactation is not as good as the cow performed in previous lactation.
I agree with Mr yousaf. He has explained very nicely the management consideration during this critical period.
I just want to add that if it was my cow I will add the following practices also
1. formulation of feed will be in such a way to avoid slightest constipation
2. 100 gm fat daily in the diet will be included to help in building energy reserves for future requirement
3. 100 gm daily proper mineral mixture will be added in the diet to meet the mineral requirements of a pregnant cow. It will dramitically help in easing calving process
Extra cow comfort will be my primary target for such cow throughout this period as I believe I will get return of all my cares from this cow in her coming lactation

Dry Cow feeding

It is an important topic and dealt under Metabolic Disorders or Diseases. During my teaching I always give emphasis on Dry Cow Therapy or Managing Cow during Dry Period because management and feeding during will significantly affect the subsequent lactation and production. If proper care is not done the next lactation will be short with less milk production and animals will show longer calving interval and dry period.

If you really want to solve these problems (Ketosis, fatty liver syndrome, acidosis etc we should be very careful about the dry cow feeding. If you visit Hoards dairy Man website you will find good literature related to these problems with practical tips. The Ca and P feeding also affects the coming lactation. If you are feeding these two minerals in diet before calving along with forages containing high amount of these (alfalfa etc), than withdraw or reduce the amount of such forages in diet two weeks before calving so that natural mechanism in animal body could be stimulated to produce these two minerals in the body well in advance. It will prevent the Milk Fever.

In case of high yielding animals, just after calving feed intake depression occurs. Animal is producing high amount of milk but unable to meet requirements through common feeding due to the limited capacity of roman. If you will try to match the requirements through concentrates, it will cause acidosis. If animal is on silage feeding the situation will be more difficult due to the low silage pH. In this condition animal has only one way to coop this situation, she will mobilized body reserves to meet the nutrients demands for milk production. Therefore, high yielding animals lose weight during 1st 10 weeks and remain in Negative energy balance after that milk pressure decreases and animal starts gaining weight again and enters in positive energy balance. Therefore, development of body reserves during dry period is very important to harvest better lactation.
Keep check on animal body score.
Help animal in developing body reserves but not let her obese. The obesity causes the fatty L Synd.
The displacement of abomasum is another condition that needs to be avoided during this time.
But it must be noted that precise feeding plans can only be advised after examining farm data, situation and available resources.

The answer to this question is yes. Milk yield generally has a negative impact on reproduction. However, management is also important, and can make a significant difference. Keeping cows healthy in transition is key. Consider using a product that supports health. See two publications in Professional animal Scientist :
http://pas.fass.org/content/22/2/158.full.pdf+html
http://pas.fass.org/content/22/2/164.full.pdf+html

Essi Evans, Ph.D.
Ruminant Products Specialist
JEFO Nutrition Inc.

This is an excellent topic and an area of major concern for most of the dairy farmers how to fed cattle in this phase so that an optimum performance from them will be targeted after parturation and the animal should get back to their normal physiological functions.
The transition from late gestation to early lactation is regarded as one of the most challenging elements of the production cycle.
It is characterized by tremendous metabolic and endocrine adjustments that the cattle must experience from late gestation to early lactation.
Perhaps the most important physiological change occurring during this period is the decrease in dry matter intake around parturition and the sudden increase in nutrients that cattle need for milk production. As a result of these remarkable changes, most of the infectious diseases and metabolic disorders occur during this time.
Proper nutrition is essential to minimize calving difficulties and metabolic disorders while maximizing milk production, reproductive efficiency and diseases resistance.
Drenching cattle with water and nutrients may be beneficial during post parturient period. A larger water volume (10-15lt) replaces the volume and weight lost when the calf, the fluids and membranes are gone at calving plus rehydrates the cows.
Feed additives that can be added to the drench mixture are: calcium propionate, yeast culture, potassium chloride, magnesium sulfate, sodium chloride, organic source of trace minerals, sodium bicarbonate, biotin, niacin, vitamin A D3 E & B12
Supplying both additional energy and calcium during the post parturient period may be of benefit of cattle. Dietary glucogenic precursor can be used to improve the metabolic status of the transition cattle.

Thanks to all your priceless comments on dry cow feeding which is one of the key period in dairy cows and it has wide range of impact on cows productive life with early lactation period.
MY REGARDS